Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

or better yet save myself the headache of all of this and fill the pockets with gravel

No, gravel will be a problem. Your original idea was great.

Rob, I've been experimenting with placing the 4 air stones that my air pump has in different positions around the tank. Seems to be, along with the fish, moving the solids to the slo.

My SLO is 90mm pipe running flat along the bottom and has little holes on the bottom - working well also.

I saw this video on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zETpcZmm8QE which is another method.

But I like your idea. I would cap the ends of your pipes and drill little holes in strategic positions to stop baby fish going in

i cant get a swirl all it will do is blow the debris up and out, basically churn it up.

ahh your talking about water going in or out> on your design? Out I imagine.

I would make the holes smaller on the two corners that are closer to the up pipe so you get some suction on the other corners.

well i did a beginning design, a square that sits on the floor and over the pockets i have small holes / jets drilled, wow its like turning on a blender the crap really blows out of the pockets big time, now to change it and try to add some direction and get a swirl going